‘I hope Vanessa will get justice’ says mum of woman who died after assault in Cork City
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The mother of a 36-year-old women who was fatally assaulted after leaving a soup kitchen in Cork City a week ago has said she hopes her daughter will “get justice”.
Ellen O’Callaghan made the comment as she attended a vigil last night to remember her daughter. It was organised by volunteers from the Kindness Krew who operate the soup kitchen outside the former Savoy Centre in St Patrick’s St.
Around 50 people attended the vigil in the memory of Vanessa O’Callaghan, including two of her three children.
She suffered fatal injuries shortly after leaving the soup kitchen in an apparently unprovoked attack by up to three people last Sunday week, December 1.
Those attending the vigil included Ms O’Callaghan’s aunt, Marian O’Connell, who had travelled from England. Ms O’Connell, who has lived near Crystal Palace in central London for 39 years, said: “I would walk around London before I’d walk around Cork. It [Cork] has 100% got more violent.”
The dead woman’s mother said Vanessa had visited her just a few hours before she died and she “had given her a few bob”. Her daughter was a rough sleeper, who had addiction issues, and her mother said she had been “let down by the system”.
Kindness Krew volunteers who knew Vanessa said she was always well mannered and wouldn’t hurt anyone.
“I don’t know the reason why she was just taken like that,” her mother added.
The Kindness Krew soup kitchen table operated as normal for those in need, several of whom attended the vigil.
The table was adorned with pictures of the dead woman and with a large number of lit candles.
After some speeches, the volunteers released a number of balloons into the night sky in memory of Vanessa. Gardaí kept a discreet presence in the area.
Ms O’Callaghan, who was from Coach St, Middle Parish, and late of Blackpool, died in hospital on Wednesday after the assault on St Patrick’s St last Sunday night. Following the incident, a member of the Kindness Krew soup kitchen volunteer team administered CPR to Vanessa before emergency services arrived at the scene, close to the former Savoy.
Many tributes were paid to Ms O’Callaghan following her death, including from Caitríona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners who knew her well. Ms Twomey described her as a woman with “childlike innocence”.
“She would just sit there and say hello to everybody that passed by, with a big smile on her face,” she said.
“She was great for asking people how they were. She had a very, very big smile. She was always beyond thankful, very grateful, and she would let us know every day how grateful she was.”
Gardaí are continuing their investigation into the incident and they have appealed for anybody who was in St Patrick’s St between 7.15pm and 8.15pm on Sunday December 1 to contact Anglesea St Garda Station on 021 4522000.
In particular, they are seeking dashcam footage from drivers who may been in the area during that timeframe.
Vanessa O’Callaghan’s funeral Mass will take place in Saints Peter and Paul’s Church on Tuesday morning after which burial will take place at St Catherine’s Cemetery, Kilcully.